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Report260Brentano Bombers Softball

10.01.2014

2nd Place Tournament

The Brentano Bombers didn't just win games this year. They won a trophy! In order to appreciate what a truly remarkable achievement this was, we're going to break down all of the Bombers' idiosyncrasies. Welcome back to Report260.

Ricky, one of Brentano’s expert shippers, gets credit for starting the softball team in 2009. Other departments signed on, and the Friday night games became a welcome summer ritual, starting with the naming process…

Ricky:

We were all up front, throwing names around, and Bombers stuck. We put it to a group vote, and (shrug) that was it.

I guess we could have gone with Brentano Super Shippers.

Andy:

Or Brentano Upholstery Cutters.

Then Lan designed a logo…

Lan:

I looked through all these designs. I wanted something that looked like a bomb — for Bombers. I sketched it and touched it up with the word Brentano. Then I went looking for a printer for our shirts.

Iris was really happy about the idea and wanted to join the team. We were all new, all innocent; nobody knew how to play. Iris and I would hold on to the bat and run. People would be yelling at us to put down the bat!

Lan: Look at us! We were all so skinny then.

Brentano employees made up most of the team that first year. In time, the roster grew to include Brentano-familiars like Angie, Caroline, Iris, Joanna, Julian, Kate, Ken, Krystal, Lan, Ruinan and Silvanna. Under the leadership of Ricky, then Andy, the team also started recruiting heavily from the outside — including ringers like Brentano's UPS drivers.

The team won one game by forfeit in 2009. Understandably, enthusiasm waned, but so did the sting of loss, and the team billed 2012 as a comeback year.

Andy:

The 2012 season didn’t go too well. We went oh-and-something — or was it one-and-something? Was that the year we got another forfeit win? Anyway, it was a lot of fun.

Then 2013 went a little bit better. That was the year we got the win. A forfeit, but it counted as a win.

A mutiny before the 2014 season had Andy taking over the coaching reins from Ricky, who focused on recruitment. Overall, the team secured an 8-5 record and second place in the final tournament. To get there, they had to beat “the young kids” first, followed by “the girls’ team.” They fell to Ball Busters, a team that’s been undefeated for four or five years.

Kate:

How did the Bombers pull off this winning season?

Andy:

I think it was my coaching and mentoring that benefited the whole team. It was a breakout year; not just for one person, but for the whole team.

Ricky:

But I think we’d be much better if they let us be part of the hiring process. We’re good scouts.

Kate:

What were the highlights of the season for you?

Ricky:

Julian struck out repeatedly.

Julian:

That was only once!

Ricky:

With a 14-inch softball, slow pitch…

Julian:

Ricky’s lousy pitching.

For Lan and Aaron — who finally witnessed his first Bombers game in 2014 — the highlight of the season was winning.

Lan:

We lost so many games. When we won, it was the best feeling ever.

Aaron:

They did a really good job. Considering they were never really that great. When they started winning games, I’d hear about it from Lan. She’d be so excited we won. It seems like everybody was having fun.

Andy:

That’s why we do it. It’s fun. It’s something to get the employees together.

Andy says he isn’t sure what the future holds for the softball team, but as Ricky’s shown, the secret is recruitment. Do you want to play for a winning team? Join Brentano.

Next up for Report260, we’ll either look at everyone’s favorite Brentano tradition (birthday lunches) or at the new faces of our Customer Service Team.